Anxiety
What is anxiety?
A feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear.
What is an anxious thought?
A thought that focuses on something bad that might happen.
Name one coping skill.
Deep breathing, music, grounding, walking, drawing, talking to someone, etc.
Name one sign of anxiety.
Fast heartbeat, sweating, shaking, stomachache, racing thoughts, or feeling restless.
Is “I will definitely fail” a fact or a thought?
A thought.
What can help calm your body when you're anxious?
Slow breathing, stretching, grounding, or taking a short break.
Where can you feel anxiety in your body?
Chest, stomach, head, muscles, hands, etc.
What can you tell yourself when you're worried?
“I can handle this,” “I don't know what will happen yet,” or “I can take this one step at a time.”
What could you do instead of avoiding something because you're anxious?
Take a small step toward it.
Can anxiety be helpful sometimes?
Yes. It can alert us to possible danger and help us prepare.
Change “I can't do this” into a more helpful thought.
“This is difficult, but I can try,” or “I can take it one step at a time.”
You feel anxious before a test. What are you thinking, feeling, and doing? What could you do to help yourself?
Thought: “I'm going to fail.”
Feeling: Worried/nervous.
Body: Heart racing or stomach hurting.
Action: Take slow breaths, challenge the thought, and focus on one question at a time.